Organized Chaos
by Sassy Aloo
Summary: Circle. Riku. Dash. Sora. Slash. Leon. Star star. Seifer. Swirl. Axel. ShoeRoseHairSnowDesk... Blood? Does this make any sense? Of course it does! Twenty word prompts for forty randomly paired character. Crack pairings abounding.
1. Trashcan

**Sassy's Note:** Two lists. Twenty characters each. Randomly paired up. Then twenty word prompts taken randomly and applied randomly. This series of vignettes is the product. And, yes, there are crack pairings, but I'll make them work. Now, onto the first one, shall we?

**Warnings:** Just a bit of fluff and minor violence.

**Pairing**Sora/Pence

**Trashcan**

Hollow Bastion High School was a nice enough place. The campus was always neat and clean. The classes were board approved and board monitored. The teachers were friendly folk. Still, like every school, there were the social groups.

Pence, a chubby boy of seventeen, was – to put it nicely – not very high in the social chain of HBHS. He was a jaunty boy, though, with three wonderfully close friends and the highest GPA of anyone in his class. He was smart, exceedingly so. He planned to design computers for his future career.

But, as in all schools, some particular bullies will pick on the smart kids no matter how benevolent they may be. This was Pence's problem. Usually, the bully – a cocky senior by the name of Seifer – would steer clear of Pence because of Pence's friends. Hayner and Roxas were not to be provoked when it could be avoided. Both of them packed a mean punch.

Sometimes, though, Pence wasn't with this buddies, and it was at these times that Pence made use of his highly-developed sneaking skills. Seriously, the boy could be a ninja. Any more sneakiness, and he'd be creeping across the ceiling.

It was after a good bout of sneaking one day that Pence ended up outside on a small bench. He never enjoyed study halls, and this period would be particularly long. Olette was in Home Ec., and Hayner and Roxas were practicing for their Struggle matches. This left Pence to look after himself.

Really, he hated having to have someone look out for him. Roxas and Hayner never said anything, but Pence hated feeling like he was a burden almost as much as he hated having to rely on them. But he wasn't strong or fast, and he was a bit of a dork, so he was the prime target for Seifer.

Speaking of whom…

"Chicken-wuss!"

Pence groaned. Great. He gathered his things quickly. If he could sneak around Seifer and get to the library, h would be home free. He grabbed his bag and sprung to his feet.

"Where ya goin', tubby?"

"Crap," Pence muttered, glancing around, only to see Fuu and Rai on either side of him. He was surrounded.

"Long time, no see, dork," said Seifer, sauntering up to him, smirking. Pence really wanted to smack that beanie off his stupid head.

Mustering up his courage, Pence glared and growled, "Go away and leave me alone."

"Wrong answer, tubby." Seifer's smile grew to maniac proportions.

---

It was probably sheer luck that put Sora where he needed to be at the right time. He was whistling merrily, a spring in his step. He loved study halls. Nothing could beat an hour and a half of doing nothing while at school.

He pranced around the school paths, stopped once or twice to pet a stray kitty, and began making his way back to the main school building. That was when he heard something strange – muffled yells of pain. He looked around, searching for the source. His eyes found a trashcan.

A trashcan with two legs poking out from the top.

Sora yelped and rushed over to it. "Hey! Are you okay?" he called, carefully tipping the trashcan onto its side so the unfortunate victim could crawl out.

"Yeah," said a slightly strained voice. "I'll be fine. That _jerk_…" Pence backed out of the trashcan slowly. Luckily, it had been mostly empty, save for a few wads of paper.

"Who did it?" Sora kneeled beside Pence.

"Seifer Almasy." Pence rubbed his head, which was aching mildly from his head-first tumble.

"He's an ass," Sora agreed. "Oh, I'm Sora, by the way." He grinned and held out a hand.

"Uh, Pence." They shook.

"You look kinda familiar." Sora looked thoughtful. "You hang out with Roxas, right?"

"Yeah." Sora's grin stretched.

"Hee. Roxas is my cousin."

"Oh… oh! You're _that_ Sora!"

"Yup! I had no idea I was talking to the local campus genius."

Pence blinked. "Who? Me?"

"Duh." Sora tapped his forehead playfully. "Roxas told me you were the one to program all the school speakers to blare out 'Jingle Bells' every time the principal went to make an announcement."

"Yeah, that was me." Pence flushed slightly.

"Wicked awesome, man." The two of them got to their feet. "So where are you headed, Pence?"

"Eh, nowhere. It's my study hall. Seifer just happened to corner me."

"Hmm, okay! Let's go to the library! I don't really like books, but it's quiet so I can sleep."

Sora rattled on and on as they trekked their way across the school campus. I was nice, Pence decided, to have a companion like Sora. He wasn't a self-proclaimed badass like Hayner, or emo-bipolar like Roxas, or girly like Olette. Wait, Olette was a girl… Oh well, same thing. Sora was nice to him from the very start.

That in itself was a big change.

---

"Roxas! Hey!"

Roxas wiped his forehead and looked around. Sora was jogging toward him, waving a thick book in the air. Roxas' eyebrow rose slightly. Since when did Sora read?

"Hey, Sora."

"Roxas, have you seen Pence?"

"No. It's his study hall. Did you check the library?"

"Yeah." Sora bit his lip. "That's where we were supposed to meet."

"He was helping Miss Gainsborough in the computer lab last period. Check there."

"Oh. Okay. Thanks, Roxas."

"Uh huh." Roxas returned to pummeling Hayner with a foam bat.

---

"Pence?" Sora stuck his head around the corner of the computer lab door.

"May I help you, Sora?" asked Miss Gainsborough politely.

"I'm looking for Pence."

"He left when the bell rang, dear."

"Oh… thank you."

---

Sora still couldn't find him, and now he was rather worried because Seifer hadn't been seen anywhere for just as long. In the past month, Seifer had not bothered Pence at all. Sora and Pence spent their free periods together, and Sora found his study halls to be not so boring any more.

"Pence!" Sora called, wandering around outside on the school paths. "Pence!" With an aggravated sigh, he said on a bench, dropping his pack on the ground. Maybe he got caught up with something. He shouldn't worry. Maybe Seifer had finally grown up and would leave him alone from now on.

"Over there! It's the other Hikari boy, ya know!"

Or maybe not.

That was most definitely Rai, and why would he be whispering about Sora? Sora rose to his feet and wandered further down the path covered with trees, following the voices.

"Thought he could hide in the library."

Sora's blood was suddenly boiling. That was Seifer's voice, and that pained gasping he knew was Pence. Sora broke into a run. There, behind a thick bunch of bushes, was Fuu, Rai, and Seifer, and on the ground was Pence. His nose was bleeding.

"Can't hide behind your friends anymore, ya know?"

Pence glared up at them, back of his hand pressed to his nose. "Screw you."

Seifer frowned. "Wrong answer, loser." He raised a fist back; Pence flinched and ducked his head. The blow never came to Pence. Instead, Seifer hit the ground. Rai and Fuu gasped. Sora stood over the limp form, painting with rage. He glared at Seifer's lackies.

"Get him and get out," he growled. With a most undignified squeak, Rai hoisted Seifer up and fled, Fuu on his heels. Sora dropped to his knees beside Pence. "You okay?"

"Yeah…" Pence wiped at his nose, then grinned lopsidedly at Sora. "Sorry I didn't get to the library. Being alone with the books didn't scare you too much, did it?" Sora stared at the other boy. Then started to laugh. Pence joined in, and for awhile, neither could stop. When they finally did, Sora picked himself up and offered a hand up to Pence.

"Hey, Sora?"

"Hmm?"

"You've taken a couple martial arts classes, right?"

"Yep."

"Well… I'm tired of not being able to fight for myself, so… could you teach me?"

Sora's face lit up. "Sure I could! That would be awesome! OH! Or we could take a class together! OH! Coach Strife is starting a club-team thingy for martial arts! We can sign up together! Come on!"

Sora continued babbling on excitedly, then grabbed Pence's hand and pulled him toward the athletics building. Pence grinned to himself.

"Thanks, Sora."

The smile he gave Pence nearly blinded him.

Then the kiss he gave Pence nearly floored him.

-_end_-

**Sassy**: Next up is a Riku/Paine with the prompt "Sex" cause that's the kind of friends I have.

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	2. Sex

**Warnings:** Uhm… non-explicit talk about sex? Mentions of a female/female relationship.

**Pairing: **Riku/Paine

**Sassy's Note:** My friends are horrible, horrible people. Look at the prompts they make me do! Oh well, this one was lots of fun.

**Sex**

It was a bit of a blow to Riku's pride when he learned Sora had had sex before him. He was older. He should have been the one to have sex first! But one say Sora had waltzed up to him, a shy smile on his face, and Riku knew – even before Sora told him he and Kairi had a "sleepover" the night before.

Riku snorted. It wasn't like he was jealous of Sora. Kairi was the sister he never had. It was just the principle behind the matter. Sora had had sex, and Riku was still a virgin.

That was so not right.

And as if the love bites decorating Sora's neck were not enough, somehow Leon and Cloud and Yuffie found out, and they picked and picked and _picked_ on Riku about it. Riku finally got them to leave him alone my pointing out the hickey on Leon's neck Yuffie, who squealed that she always knew Cloud and Leon were made for each other. Bastards.

Riku blew out his breath and drew the cool air of Radiant Garden in. This should not have been bothering him near as much as it was. If he really wanted to get some, there were plenty of girls willing and ready. Girls tended to like him. A lot.

But he didn't want a fling. He didn't want sex for the sake of sex. In a way, maybe he _was_ jealous of Sora and Kairi. They were together and they loved each other, so sex for them was right.

Yeah, he was definitely a bit jealous. And more than a bit lonely.

"Imagine seeing someone else out here."

Riku swiveled around. Standing just behind him was a tall female with dark grey hair and red eye. She was dressed in black leather. She looked rather familiar… and just a bit intimidating with a sword hanging from her back.

"Uh… hello."

The girl – about Riku's age, he guessed – smirked. "Hi. What brings you all the way out to the Great Maw?"

"Just… thinking." Her deep eyes bore into his, but it felt more like she was searching him than trying to stare him down. Then she grinned, or what counted as a grin because really it was more of a quirk of her lips.

"Mind having some company to… think?" Riku shook his head, and she sat down beside him, dangling her legs over the edge of the cliff.

"So," she said after a moment, "Got a name?"

"Riku."

She nodded and let silence fall over them. Riku blinked, perplexed by her attitude.

"And do _you_ have a name?" he pressed.

"Paine."

"… uh… nice to meet you…"

Paine tilted her head back and glanced at him. "I get that a lot. Yes, it's my real name."

"Oh." Riku couldn't think of what else to say. Paine laughed.

"You're an interesting specimen, Riku." She brushed a stray lock of hair from her eyes. "So, what are you out here to think about?"

"Nothing… in particular."

"Hn. It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I'm just curious."

"Uhh…"

"You know, you seem a lot more eloquent when you're with Sora."

"You know Sora?"

"Everyone does." Pain shrugged. "So everyone knows who you are."

"You knew who I was?"

"Mm hmm. Hard to forget those eyes and that hair." She closed her eyes and leaned back on her hands. Her voice gained a bit a dreamy quality. "Hard to forget anyone with the name Riku…"

Riku wasn't sure how to respond to _that_, but it seemed strange to him that she already knew who he was and yet he couldn't place her.

"Have we met before?" he asked quietly, rather afraid to disturb her. She looked peaceful like that.

"Yes." Her eyes fluttered beneath their lids. "You probably don't recognize me." She glanced over at him again. "I'm a Gullwing."

"A Gullwing? You mean those little treasure sprites?"

"Yes."

"But you're not a sprite!" Riku blurted out.

"No, not right now. Sometimes I am."

"Uhm… okay."

"Heh." Paine looked down. "Don't worry about it."

"Okay."

They fell into an easy, companionable silence. Paine sat back, head tilted, breathing deeply. Riku was more leaned over, but no less comfortable. It was only after ten minutes that either of them spoke again.

"You never asked," said Paine.

"Asked what?"

"I asked you why you were out here. You never asked me."

"Oh. I kinda figured you wouldn't tell me."

Paine smiled slightly, but her ruby eyes were sad. "You're a strange boy, Riku. You worry when you shouldn't. Don't let it bother you."

Wait, what? How did she know what was bothering him? Did she _really_ know what he'd been thinking about?

"How do you know what I'm thinking?" Okay, so that sounded rude, but Paine didn't seem offended.

"I don't. You think you're so hard to read, Riku, but you're not. It bothers you that your two friends have become intimate, and you don't have anyone. Everyone's talking about it. Don't let it bother you. Sex isn't everything. In the end, they'll respect you."

Riku was speechless. She couldn't have said it any better than if he had told her himself. Was he really that easy to read? Maybe he had always been wrong about himself.

And then he mulled over what she had said. She was right, he decided. Why should he let it bother him? So Sora had found his first love sooner than Riku found his. There wasn't anything wrong with that. And he really didn't want meaningless sex. So it was okay that he was still a virgin, no matter if his friends teased him.

"Hit the nail on the head, did I?" Paine chuckled.

"Heh, yeah," Riku conceded with a small smile.

"See, you're not so hard to read when people know what to look for."

Riku nodded. "Thanks. You're right… about everything."

She inclined her head back at him.

"Hey, Paine?"

"Yes?"

"What are you out here to think about?"

"Heh. Should have known that was coming. But I guess I can trust you." Her eyes met his. They were sad again. "I had a lover. But… they're… gone."

Riku didn't really want to know what she meant by "gone". Even if he was alive somewhere, "gone" meant he was never coming back. It kind of put his little worries about his virginity to shame.

"I'm sorry." And he meant it.

"Don't be. I…" Paine looked down at the ground between them. "I loved her very much. I just… never told her… before she… left."

Okay, scratch the intimidating male figure Riku had been envisioning in his head. But he was not shallow enough to let _that_ bother him. Love was love after all, right? Besides, just look at Leon and Cloud…

"I'm sure she knew. You're pretty easy to read, too." Paine's eyes darted to his face. Riku smiled at her. Her face softened visibly.

"Guess you're right." Then she got to her feet. "The strange thing is… her name was Rikku." Riku blinked.

"Oh."

"Hmm." Paine brushed some hair from her face. "You know, I'll be out here again tomorrow around sunset, if you'd like to talk again."

Riku smiled. "I'd like that."

"Me too."

The next day, just as the sun was going down, they met again.

And met again the next night over dinner.

-end-

**Sassy:** Next up is Reno/Demyx with the prompt "Rose". I'm prepared to cry while writing it. Just to let you know.

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	3. Rose

**Warnings:** Bit of language.

**Pairing: **Reno/Demyx

**Sassy's Note:** Okay, I admit, I cheated a little bit on this one, but I promise I stuck within my self-imposed rules! No matter how much I was pushing it…

**Rose**

_"Oh? Hey! Axel, you're back!"_

_"Yeah…"_

_"What's wrong?"_

_"__Nothing.__Uh…__ Let's get out of here for a bit, yeah?"_

_"Okay…"_

It wasn't raining. Usually, when one feels like crap, it rains. Nope, not today. The sun was shining, and the birds were singing.

Demyx wished it would rain. The rain made him feel better. All this sunshine was almost depressing - though not for the people around him. He glanced around.

Kids were happily bouncing around and eating icecream. Parents were equally as lighthearted. Young couples were sitting close together, sipping from the same over-sized glass. His eyes lingered for a moment on one such couple. Then, dejectedly, he looked away and took a gulp of his cream soda.

_"Axel?"_

_"What?"_

_"Why is Roxas so pissed off at you?"_

_"I have no idea. He's just being a bitch today."_

_"Didn't you two have a mission tonight?"_

_"Yeah, like that's happening…"_

_"Oh. Sorry."_

It wasn't like Demyx was unhappy. He was content. This place was nice, and the people were friendly. He had made a nice little life for himself here.

But he wasn't happy either. This place… it was too boring. The people were too normal. Nothing exciting ever happened.

Twilight Town had to be the dullest world there was.

Why did he have to end up _here_? He really wanted to go to Radiant Garden. There was always something going on there.

Or, there had been…

_"Superior ever __send__ you to Radiant Garden?"_

_"Where?"_

_"Radiant Garden."_

_"Never heard of it."_

_"Oh. Well, it's nice there. I'd like to live there after I get my heart back. __Always something interesting going on."_

_"Wait, are you talking about Hollow Bastion?"_

_"What?"_

_"Hollow Bastion __is__ Radiant Garden, dumbass."_

He couldn't travel. He'd tried. He couldn't use the dark paths, and he didn't have a gummi ship. He was stuck in this world.

It kinda sucked.

_"This sucks."_

_"What?"_

_"Superior's got me on a long mission to the __Collesium__."_

_"How long?"_

_"Until the __tournament's__ over."_

_"… When are you leaving?"_

_"Tonight."_

_"…"_

_"Axel? What's wrong?"_

_"…Be careful."_

He gulped from his drink again. He'd almost kill to get a gummi or access to his pathways again. They were so easy and convenient, and he had never thought twice about them when he was in the Organization. He guessed it was true. You didn't miss something until it was gone.

_"Axel! I'm back!"_

_"I'd thought you'd gotten killed by a stray thunderbolt or something."_

_"__Heh__ No, the fights were just a bit intense this time around."_

_"…"_

_"…"_

_"Hey, Demyx?"_

_"Yeah?"_

Demyx sighed and leaned back in his chair, looking skyward. He should be out doing something instead of sitting here. He should be out being productive. He was restless. He needed something to channel his energy into.

The young couple caught his eye again. They were smiling and holding hands and exchanging small kisses when they thought no one was looking. He snorted softly and pointedly looked away. He made sure not to look at them when the young man tucked a thorn-less rose into the girl's hair.

A rose…

_"Have you ever kissed a guy before?"_

_"What?"_

_"__Pssh__Nevermind__."_

_"__Uhm__, what do—__"_

_"…"_

_"…"_

_"Well, now you have."_

_"A-A-Axel…"_

_"Here…"_

_"__What – that's…__"_

_"A rose.__ Now shut the fuck up."_

Almost angrily, Demyx rose from his seat to get another cream soda. Stupid teenagers. Couldn't they take that somewhere else? The lady behind the counter seemed offended when he slammed the munny down on the counter and snatched his drink away.

He made sure to sit with his back to the couple when he returned to the sitting area outside.

_"Dem?__ You awake?"_

_"__Nngghh__… Eh__ Axel. Mm… welcome back."_

_"Scoot over and make some room."_

_"Too comfy…"_

_"Dumbass.__Here.__"_

_"__Marluxia's__ going to get pissed if you keep stealing his roses."_

_"Like I care."_

Public indecency. He should report it. He took a deep breath.

No… he shouldn't. They were young and in love. They were doing nothing wrong.

He stared down at his drink. He used to know how they felt.

_"He's late… __damnit__…"_

Not too long ago, but long enough for the fine details to have faded from his memory, he had been just like them.

Well, not _just_ like them. His blatant lack-of-heart prevented him from having true emotions.

But Demyx had been right on one count. Sure, the Nobodies' hearts weren't complete, but they weren't gone. After all, he had his back now.

He wished he could at least thank Sora for that.

_"It's been almost an hour… maybe I should just go back to the Castle."_

But, here he was, stuck in this stupid, boring world with no access to his former non-life or his former collegues.

Demyx really couldn't decide if regaining his heart was worth all that he had lost.

_"If he's not here in five minutes, I'm going back. Bastard…"_

And if feeling lousy all the time was what having a heart meant, he didn't want it. He couldn't regain what his Somebody had lost anyway… His Other was long gone.

Demyx didn't return to being Dyme. He simply became Demyx with a heart.

But this couldn't have been the case for all of them. Roxas returned to Sora. He wondered what did happen to the others…

_"That's it. I'm __leav__-"_

He wondered what happened to Axel…

_"Demyx!__ Wait!"_

_"Axel?"_

_"Dem, sorry I'm late. Superior was being a bastard, and I tried to leave, but he kept me and…"_

_"For an hour, Axel?"_

_"Yeah, and I knew I was late, and… here, I got this for you before I left."_

_"Another rose…"_

_"Mm hmm."_

_"Why do you keep giving me roses? Do you __consider me a girl?"_

_"If I thought of you as a girl, I'd buy you dresses, dumbass."_

_"And the roses?"_

_"You remind me of a rose."_

He didn't know if Axel ever returned to his Other. He'd never heard the other Nobody speak of his Other. Axel had always preferred to talk about the future rather than the past. He'd said he'd find a way to travel from world to world until he found a place he'd deem suitable for him to live. Yeah, and Demyx would be with him. Always.

See how well that turned out.

_"… I'm a rose?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"How?"_

If Demyx was perfectly honest with himself, he had never been so hurt than when Axel left after Roxas. He understood that Roxas and Axel shared a connection, but _**he**_ was Axel's rose, not Roxas.

_"You've got all these little __layers,__ and the further in, the softer and more gentle you are, but you've got thorns and can be dangerous when you need to be."_

_"I…"_

_"And you're beautiful."_

_"Axel."_

_"You're __**my**__rose__, understand?"_

"Hey." Demyx started, looked up, and almost choked. There was a _redhead_ standing by his table. For a moment, he was close to screaming, but at another scan with his eyes… it couldn't be. The stranger's eyes were blue, and the little marks around his eyes he had thought were teardrops weren't.

"Oh, hello," he said politely, attempting a friendly grin.

"This seat taken?" He indicated the chair across from Demyx.

"Oh, no, go ahead." Demyx grinned at him, though it was pained. He just looked _so much_ like Axel…

"Name's Reno, yo."

"Demyx."

"Heh…"

"What?"

"Nothing." Demyx raised an eyebrow at Reno.

_"Sorry I'm late, Dem."_

"Live around here?" asked Reno.

"Yeah. Close by." Demyx shyly tapped on the rim of his glass

"Native of Twilight Town?"

"Nah. Moved here recently."

_"I got this for you before I left."_

"Like it here?"

"It's… alright."

"Seen better?"

"Yeah."

_"You remind me of a rose."_

"Me too." Reno grinned. This made Demyx all the more uncomfortable. Quickly, he drained the rest of his soda and stood up.

"Uh… it was nice to meet you, but I have to go."

_"Wait…"_

"Demyx, wait…"

_"Demyx, wait…"_

"Huh?" Demyx shook his head. Reno was standing, serious expression on his face, hand outstretched and holding tight to Demyx's sleave.

_"Wait."_

"Wait."

"What?" Demyx half shouted.

"Sorry I'm late, Dem…"

Reno handed him a single red rose.

-end-

**Sassy:** Choking on the fluff yet? This one made even me happy.

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	4. Consent

**Warnings:** Slightly emo-ness and, well, look at the title.

**Pairing: **Sephiroth/Cloud

**Sassy's Note:** I didn't mean to make Cloud a slut. It just kinda… came out that way. I purposely didn't name one of the characters. You guys get to use your imaginations:D I'd like to hear your thoughts, though.

**Consent**

It really was his fault and his fault alone. He had never really wanted this, never really provoked this, but he always consented to it. Always. He never had been able to say no – from the first time, when he had barely mad Soldier, to now. There was always something about _him_ that never let him refuse.

And, really, Cloud had no doubt that if he _did_ say no, he would stop. Sephiroth was many things, but not a rapist. There was always consent beforehand. He had made sure that there would always be consent.

It was different with him than it was with others. With Leon, it was soft and gentle. With Reno, it was hard and intense. But with Sephiroth… Yes, it was rough, but it was passionate, like nothing Cloud had ever felt before.

He enjoyed it. He hated to admit it, but he loved what Sephiroth did to him. It made him feel alive.

It made him feel alive, but it also destroyed him just a little bit more each time. Sephiroth was Cloud's darkness, and Cloud had become something from the dark as well. There was no light in him anymore.

And he always, _always_ consented to it.

It always hurt as he picked himself up afterwards, as he pulled his clothes back on and reached for his Buster Sword. It always hurt when he saw the former General laying there, looking nonchalant and unconcerned. Even though his face always stayed neutral, neither smirking nor frowning, Cloud always felt like he was celebrating some warped victory.

Sephiroth called him on it on the battlefield. Every time. Cloud's friends were fooled by the unusual comments made. Sephiroth was out of his mind, right? Well, Cloud knew exactly what he was doing. Taunting him, teasing him, reminding him of the time they spend together. But he didn't need Sephiroth's taunts to keep their encounters on his mind.

Cloud knew the darkness would never leave him until he could say no, until he could stand up and deny the consent. He wasn't sure what Sephiroth would do when that day finally came. He didn't know if he'd even ever be able to do it.

The darkness was too much for him to handle alone. He needed to find his light, his own special light. In a way… he did have a small beacon amid his darkness. Every kiss, every touch was filled with the light Cloud needed and wanted. Cloud couldn't say if he loved him yet or not, but he was sure of one thing.

Until his darkness was gone, until Sephiroth was gone, until he could finally say no…

Until Cloud could refuse to consent, he wasn't free to indulge in the light.

He wasn't free to love anyone.

-end-

**Sassy:** Amazingly, this one went right where I wanted it to and didn't linger or get off track. You should all be very proud and leave me reviews, okay?


	5. Shoes

**Warnings:** Roxas being a bitch.

**Pairing: **Sora/Roxas

**Sassy's Note:** Eh… it's done. Nothing else I'd like to say.

**Shoes**

"I hate my life," Roxas muttered, leaning against the counter. This job was hardly worth the pay. Though, what more could expect from Payless?

A few giggling teenage girls in the back burst into new fits of giggles. Roxas glared in their direction. He hated this place. He hated shoes. He hated the mall. So why was he working here? He needed the money. End of story. College wasn't going to pay for itself, and his parents weren't paying for it either.

"Hey," one the teenage girls whispered, laying a rather large shoe box on the counter. Roxas, despite himself, smiled at her.

"Find everything alright, ma'am?" _I hope you die._

"Oh yes. Everything just… fine." _Yeah, I bet. __Bitch, stop fluttering your eyelashes.__ You look like a crack baby._

"Good, that's good." Roxas rang up the box without even looking at what could possibly be in there. When she handed him the munny, her hand purposely ran over his. _Touch me again, and I'__ll put those stilett__o__s__ over there through your eye socket._

"There you go," Roxas chirped, hanging her the change. "Have a nice day." _Have it elsewhere and never come in here again._

"Bye," she whispered in a dreamy voice, laying something on the counter. She and her friend breezed away, giggling as soon as they left the store. Roxas looked down at the counter and the little piece of paper she had left behind.

"As if," he snorted, snatching up the phone number and ripping it to shreds. "Bitch."

"You know, you're not very nice." Roxas jumped, sent the little shreds of paper flying through the air in alarm and nearly choked on his tongue. Standing beside the counter was a brunette boy with blue eyes to rival Roxas' own. He was grinning amusedly at him, hands locked behind his head.

"What?" Roxas snapped, gathering up the paper and dropping them one by one into the trashcan. The other boy's grin widened marginally.

"That's okay though. A lot of people go for the badass attitude."

Roxas stared incredulously at this strange newcomer. "Who are you?"

"The name's Sora!" He leaned forward to read the tag on the blond's chest. "Nice to meet you, Roxas."

Roxas gave a noncommittal grunt and picked up his Sudoku book again.

"Sooooo…" Sora traced his finger across the countertop. "If you're not interested in girls… perhaps you'd like to go out with me?"

Roxas instantly began choking again. Sora, with a chuckle and half a pirouette, dropped _another_ slip of paper onto the counter and skipped away, out of Roxas sight back into the sea of mall goers. Roxas was so stunned for the rest of that day he left the slip the paper lying on the counter as he locked the store up, and it was only until the next afternoon he saw it again. Though the strange boy – Sora, was it? – kept surfacing in his mind.

"Hey, Roxas," Axel chuckled at him when Roxas walked into work. "You left this last night." He waved the paper through the air, smirking. "_Another_ proposal? Who is she this time?"

"Nobody," Roxas growled, snatching Sora's number away from his best friend. He stuffed in his pocket unconcernedly and stalked off to clock into work.

When Axel joined him in the back, clocking out, the redhead idly commented, "You know, it really sucks that I work the morning shift. All I ever see are little old women."

"I'll trade with you any day."

"Ha, no thanks. While you may see all the horny girls in here in the afternoon, I get to go hang out with said horny girls every afternoon elsewhere."

Roxas snorted. "Yeah, too bad everyone thinks you're gay because of your stalker."

The redhead frowned. "Marluxia hasn't shown up around me in public for… five days."

"You sound like you're starting to like having him around, Axel…"

"No! He's still a creepy pervert, but he can be a nice enough guy."

"You were drunk, weren't you?" There was amusement in the blond's voice.

"No! Well… yes… but we just-"

"HEY!"

Roxas and Axel jumped and swiveled around. Their manager stood there, puffing up like an indignant badger. "You're not being paid to stand around like idiots. Roxas, to the front! And, Axel… get the hell out of here."

Axel saluted the silver-haired man. "Yes sir, Xem-man-a-man-man-nes!"

The corner's of Xemnas' mouth twitched as if he were trying not to smile. "I know how to get in touch with Marluxia, if you'd like me to him your address."

Axel beat it out of there fairly quickly after that, and Roxas – once again – took his place at the front counter.

Five hours later and the trashcan beside the counter was filled with countless numbers from countless teenage girls. Roxas was almost ready beat his brains out with a pair of boots. Next time he saw Xemnas, he was putting in his two weeks' notice.

"I hate this place…"

"Aww, c'mon. What's wrong with shoes?" There was that bouncing brunette again. Sora grinned at him, leaning on the side of the counter opposite Roxas. "Hiya!"

"Hi."

"You got my number yesterday, right? Cause I never got a call."

"I never intended to give you one."

Sora's smile did not waver. "Well you could always give me your number."

"No." Roxas could _not believe_ he was having this conversation.

"Or I could wait for you to get off then we could go have a drink somewhere."

"I work until close. It's dark then, when kids like you should be asleep in bed."

Sora finally looked mildly offended. "I'm eighteen years old, thank you." Well, he was older than Roxas then. That was a surprise…

"Why are you here?" the blond snapped. He'd had enough of this. Sora winked at him.

"I like you."

"Well, I don't like you, and since I'm not allowed to tell customers to go away, I'll just be ignoring you now."

"Aww, come on. We'd make a fine couple." Roxas' back went rigid at that statement.

"Look, apart from the _wrongness_ of that statement, maybe you haven't noticed the eerily detailed physical similarities between us. It'd look like… I dunno… _twincest_, or something."

Sora shrugged. "Don't care. I like you. We should go get some coffee tonight."

"Dude, please," Roxas said, sounding strained. "Leave me in peace. I'm not into guys. I'm not even into girls. I'm asexual."

"Ever gone out with a guy?"

"No."

"Ever gone out with a girl?"

"… no…"

Sora's grin stretched to epic proportions. "Then let me take you on your first date!"

"No!"

"I'll buy."

"No!" Roxas slammed his head down on the counter.

"Please?"

"No." The blond's voice was monotone.

"_Please_?"

"No."

"Just one date? I'll never ask you again, and if you don't like me I'll never speak to you again. Please?" Well, that was always a plus. And free coffee didn't sound bad, even if some lunatic bought it.

"… Fine. I close at nine."

Sora's lips quirked into a sweet little smile. Not that Sora was sweet. He was nothing but the devil. The devil offering Roxas free coffee. Wait…

"See you then, Roxykins!" The brunette did his little half-dance out of

It was at the point, when Roxas' blood began to boil at the nickname, that he regretted ever taking this job at Payless. He really hated shoes.

-end-

**Sassy**: In other news, I will never work at Payless. All the people there are either already mean or eventually turn mean. It's the shoes, I tell you!

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	6. Impossible

**Warnings:** Aaaaangst.

**Pairing: **Axel/Vexen

**Sassy's Note:** Bad Sassy. Shorter than it was supposed to be, but I think the point came across. Yes, the structure is supposed to come off as rushed. So smoke on that while I go write the adventures of Captain Jack and Reno.

**Impossible**

"You're impossible," Vexen snarled, pinning Axel against the wall. The redhead gave him an infuriating smirk, and Vexen crushed their lips together, if only to avoid looking at his face anymore.

"You love it," said Axel, unzipping the other's coat.

"Don't tempt me, Flurry." Vexen bit his lip and closed his eyes.

"I'll be doing more than that."

Insufferable, idiotic, horny, redheaded, goddamned _Axel_.

Hate was too strong a word. They were Nobodies, after all. Dislike didn't seem to fit the situation either. Axel probably didn't even know what the word "loath" meant, so Vexen through that one out as well. If he had to use a word to describe the two of them, he'd choose "incompatible".

Their elements clashed. Their ranks clashed. Their personalities clashed. They were incompatible. This thing they had was wrong. The feelings of pleasure Vexen felt were impossible, but he still felt them. He let Axel do as he pleased. Ice always melts around fire.

---

Axel knew it was impossible too. He wouldn't deny it, but he wouldn't resist it wither. His flames always consumed his superior, the quiet scientist who was never able to resist as well.

And it always felt _damn_ _good_.

---

This was impossible.

Vexen snarled and put a hand to his aching forehead. No way was that pink-hair imbecile allowed to waltz into the Castle and start giving orders. No way had to Superior actually _put_ the imbecile in charge of Castle Oblivion. No way had he, the Chilly Academic, been ordered there as well to follow the instructions of the imbecile.

"This does not bode well at all," he muttered.

A pair of arms wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him back on the bed. The essence of smoke assaulted his senses as a sultry voice said, "It gets better. I'll be in Castle Oblivion as well."

---

This was… impossible.

That look in Axel's eyes – green flames – it was the last thing Vexen saw, the last image burned into his mind. He faded into nothingness, the figure, the face, the terrible leer of his lover the last thing the Nobody would ever see.

And Vexen felt, possibly for the first time, the breaking of the heart he didn't have.

---

This… was impossible.

The orders Marluxia gave him couldn't be carried out. He couldn't do it. No way. No. No. No…

But Axel found himself staring his lover down the sharp end of his chakram. He found himself standing firm, even as emerald green eyes – deep enough to match his own – stared up at him, hurt. He found his face twisted into a horrible smile, watching the man fade.

He found himself later feeling a remorse so deep it hurt.

And how was _that_ possible?

-end-

**Sassy:** I was actually really upset when Axel destroyed Vexen. Dunno why. Vexen's not exactly my favorite Nobody. Guess it was just the fact that they were both companions at one time. Something to think about, huh?

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	7. Pudding

**Warnings:** Angst, and a bit of a hard to follow structure, but that's the way I want it!

**Pairing: **Aerith/Marluxia

**Sassy's Note:** God, what is up with all my emo-ness? I promise, the next one to be posted will not be emo! On another note, I really like the way this one turned out.

**Pudding**

"Hello. Would you like to buy a flower?"

Marluxia glanced toward the young flower girl behind the stand. Every day, she asked him the same questions, and every day he gave her the same reply: "Your flowers are inferior to mine."

She would simply smile at him, twirling a rose between her fingers. Sometimes she handed him a flower, smile never wavering. Marluxia would sniff the flower, cold eyes not straying from her gaze. Then he would walk away, flower tucked inside his coat.

Hollow Bastion was a strange place, and the people there were even stranger.

---

"Hello. Would you like to buy a flower?"

"You're pitiful excuses for flowers are inferior to mine."

A passing man snorted derisively. "Fruitcup," he muttered, brushing past Marluxia. The Assassin spared a glance at the head of red hair, but simply walked the other way.

---

"Would you like to buy a flower?"

"Your flowers are inferior to those of my creation."

A blond man standing beside the stall stared hard at Marluxia. The crystal-blue gaze was cold and challenging. Marluxia made a soft sound of amusement and moved away.

---

"Would you like to buy a flower, sir?"

"No. I'm busy." Marluxia muscled his way past all the people. His target had been sighted and if he didn't hurry, his quarry would get away.

He didn't notice the sweet little brunette sigh sadly and turn away.

---

"A flower today, sir?"

She handed him a small bloom and smiled sweetly. Marluxia stood there a moment, staring at the full petals. Finally, he grunted softly in acknowledgement and tucked it into the color of his jacket.

---

"Marluxia?

"Hn?"

"Why do you have a flower in your coat?"

"It is… of no concern of yours."

---

Marluxia had walked past the flower shop, only to find it closed. He was confused, even more so at the disappointment he – thought he – felt.

---

The next day, however, the little stand was open again, but it wasn't flowers that were for sale.

"Would you like to try some apple pie?"

Marluxia regarded her carefully. "And your flowers? What became of them?"

"They'll be back in a few days. For now, we're trying to raise funds to rebuild the library." She smiled kindly at him.

---

"What is your name?"

"Aerith. And you?"

"I'm… a Nobody."

"I know, silly, but you still have a name."

"… Marluxia."

---

"Will you stay for dinner?"

Marluxia glanced over his shoulder. The blond man was glaring daggers at him. Hmm, he must be jealous.

"I… must be somewhere. Perhaps another time."

He kissed her hand.

The blond went red with rage.

---

"A flower today, Marluxia?"

He nodded and let her stick it in his collar. She smiled and kissed his cheek.

---

"We have some leftover dessert if you'd like some," said Aerith, smiling at him. "Won't you stay a bit?"

With a bit of hesitation, Marluxia nodded. It was hard to say no to that girl.

---

"We have some more pudding. Would you like some?"

Marluxia wordlessly sat beside her. Her smile ever present, she raided the spoon to his lips.

---

The blue-eyed blond had been glaring at him for a good while now. Marluxia smirked to himself, eyes trained on Aerith, who talked softly to him about this and that. She didn't give any notice to the blond, but when the blond stomped away with an angry huff, her smiled tensed a bit.

---

"Who is that?" he asked her finally as the man shuffled away angrily. Aerith sighed.

"That's Cloud. Don't mind him."

Marluxia's brow rose. "Is he your beau?"

Aerith shook her head – a bit sadly, he noticed. "No. Just a close friend."

---

"I don't think he likes me very much," said Marluxia, watching Cloud conversing angrily with a tall brunette.

"He's very… protective." Aerith grinned slightly, taking a seat beside him. "But he's very sweet when you get to know him."

Too bad Marluxia had no intention of getting to know him.

---

"You look thoughtful," she said softly, brushing a lock of hair from his face gently.

"I'll… be busy for awhile. It may be a few days before I can be back."

She nodded understandingly.

---

It had been _quite a while_ since Marluxia had been here, but Aerith simply smiled when she saw him and tucked a flower into the collar of his jacket.

And then he swept her into a kiss.

She didn't resist.

---

"Things are getting harder… I am unsure of how much longer I can continue sneaking away."

She never asked him what he was doing or what his intentions were or even where he went. She just smiled sadly and tightened her fingers around his.

---

"Cloud… I'm worried. I haven't seen Marluxia in a while."

The blond somehow managed to swallow his pride and jealousy.

"He'll… be back… soon."

---

"Marluxia! What's wrong?" She ran her hands over his face and through his hair then back down to his shoulders.

"Some… things… are going on." He sighed tiredly. "I will… try to be back… soon."

Aerith smiled, leaning into his chest. "I'll have warm pudding waiting for you."

---

A few days later found Aerith sobbing in Cloud's arms. They had just gotten the news. This Castle Oblivion was no longer in existence, and it had taken five Nobodies with it.

Her flowers shriveled, and the pudding had gone cold.

-end-

**Sassy:** I think I can now count myself as a true fan of the Organization. I love each and every member, except Lexaeus, for I am neutral when it comes to him. As the OrgLIX folks say, NOBODY CARES ABOUT LEXAEUS. And it's true.


	8. Shower

**Warnings:** Language. Implied situations.

**Pairing: **Zexion/Larxene

**Sassy's Note:** Eh… I'm kinda whatever about this chapter, but maybe it will amuse someone.

**Shower**

"_Larxene_!!" Zexion screeched, stomping out of the bathroom with only a towel held about his hips.

"Yes, darling?" came the pleasant reply.

Zexion growled. "Why the _fuck_ is all the shampoo in the bathroom pink and flowery!?"

"I wouldn't have a clue, dear."

Zexion finally found his roommate sitting at their little table sipping warm tea.

"Larxene, while it is perfectly normal for _you _to smell like a powder-puff, I personally detest smelling like flowers. Now," his eyes narrowed at her passive face, "What happened to all of my shampoo?"

Larxene calmly took another sip of tea before answering. If you must know… Marluxia and I thought you needed a bit of… charm in your life. So… we threw out all of your old shampoo and bought you some more."

Zexion blinked rapidly for a few seconds, processing this. Finally, when it had sunk in, he drew himself up to his full height – which wasn't much taller than Larxene – and indignantly demanded, "You let _Marluxia_ buy _me_ shampoo!?"

"He has great taste when it comes to this kind of stuff. Oh, you have some conditioner, too. Your hair could use it.

Zexion fumed silently for a moment, dripping water all over the floor without noticing. Finally, he sighed and rubbed his temples. "I have to be at work in an hour, and I doubt my coworkers would ever let me live down coming to work while smelling like a French whore. Luckily, I have a special reserve of shampoo set aside for long trips, but when I get home tonight, I want my shampoo replaced and that flowery nonsense _gone_!"

With that, he stomped back into the bathroom. His roommate just smirked.

---

"_LARXENE_!!"

The female blinked at the bathroom door, which burst open at that moment, emitting a furious Zexion, once again naked save for a towel and dripping all over the place.

"Yes?"

"When I said replace the shampoo," he seethed. "I did _not_ mean replace it with _strawberry-kiwi _scented sludge!"

"Well, it's not pink."

"It's _lime green_!"

"But not pink."

"Lime green strawberry-kiwi is _hardly_ masculine!!"

Larxene sighed and propped her head up on a fist. "Green is masculine."

"Kiwis are _not_!"

"Okay, okay. You can be boring with your normal shampoo. Just don't expect me to shower with you anymore."

Zexion paused. So it was down to blackmail, was it? Well, he could play her game.

He sighed. "Fine, the shampoo can stay, but I am _not_ using the conditioner."

Larxene grinned maliciously. "Deal. I'll be in there in a bit, babe." She winked at him.

---

A few days later found Zexion sitting at the table, casually talking with a couple of his friends. Larxene was in the shower with all the horrid strawberry-kiwi scented shampoo. It had been the first time she hadn't just showered with him in quite a while.

And, no, he hadn't taken his revenge.

Not yet.

"Hey… Zexy?" Demyx asked suddenly.

"Hmm?

"Did you hear that?"

"Oh, hear what?"

Axel looked around. "Sounds like someone's dying in the bathroom," he commented. "Is Larxene drowning?"

Zexion grinned evilly, which Demyx noticed before Axel did, which turned out to be good for the blond, for when the bathroom door swung open and out barreled a screaming Larxene, completely naked, he was able to dive underneath the table to prevent irreversibly brain trauma. Axel just stared, eyes wide as the sopping wet blond woman screamed at Zexion.

"What did you _do_!?" she screeched, clutching at her short hair. "What did you _do_ to the shampoo?"

"Oh, that's not shampoo," he said casually.

"WHAT IS IT!?"

"Glue."

The screaming that followed would most likely be the cause of any and all ear trauma later in life for either Zexion, Axel, or Demyx, but Zexion figured it was worth it.

Ah, revenge was sweet, even if Larxene never showered with him again.

-end-

**Sassy:** Bleh. Hate the pairing, but I was bound by my set rules. Which said nothing about these having to be romantic, so there you go.

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	9. Bed

**Warnings:** Little bit of language.

**Pairing: **Leon/Zexion

**Sassy's Note:** Haha, this one is not emo, though it gave me hell writing it.

**Bed**

Leon stomped downstairs from his bedroom, clearly livid, and demanded of the four people sitting at his table, "Why is there a Nobody in my bed?"

A pair of ocean eyes blinked at him in a puppy-like manner. "He's not a Nobody anymore," said Demyx. "Zexy got his heart back!"

"Zexy?" One of Leon's eyebrows rose.

"Zexion," said Riku, casually taking a sip from his mug. "One of Ansem's Apprentices. Or, his Other was." Cloud, beside him, nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, he's a Nobody. So why the hell is he in _my_ bed?"

"He's sick," said Demyx, leaning forward imploringly. "Your bed was closest."

"Why not just stick him in _your_ bed?"

"Because," Reno spoke up, exhaling cigarette smoke through his nose, "his bed is my bed, yo, and despite what all of you think of me, I don't like strangers in my head." Demyx giggled a little at that. Leon just rolled his eyes and swiped the cigarette from the redhead, despite the indignant yelp that followed. Leon took a pull on it, then snuffed it out in the ashtray.

"Whatever. Have him gone by the time I get back." He blew smoke out of the corner of his mouth and exited his home through the front door.

---

When Leon returned a few hours later, Riku and Cloud were gone, but there was someone new sitting beside Demyx. Leon didn't deny that Zexion _did_ look rather ill. His skin was far too pale, and even from Leon's perspective he looked shaky.

Demyx sheepishly smiled at Leon. "He's out of your bed."

"I noticed."

Zexion inclined his head at the scarred brunet and mumbled some form of gratitude. Up close, he looked purely exhausted. Leon had to wonder how much the boy had been through after getting his heart back. He remembered when they had first found Demyx. The blond was tattered and dirty, so weak he could barely walk on his own, and it had taken him a good few weeks to recover completely.

"Where's he staying?" Leon asked with a resigned sigh.

"Uhm, with us," said Demyx. Reno scowled. "We'll camp in the living room. I just want Zexy to feel better."

"He can stay… with me," Leon said, trying to keep his voice neutral. "I've got more room."

Zexion stared at Leon, visibly surprised. So did Demyx. And so did Reno. What an un-Leon-ish thing to say…

"Well, this is a whole new side of Leonhart," said Reno. "But it's the side I like because now I can sleep in my own bed, which," he looked at his watch, "I should have been in thirty minutes ago. Come on, Dem."

"But… but Zexy…"

"I've got him," said Leon. "It's late. Take your Turk and go home."

"But…"

"Let me rephrase. Take that bastard and go because I can't stand having him in my house anymore today."

Reno just smirked. "If you insist, yo." The redhead tugged Demyx along. The blond resisted only a bit – he looked rather tired himself – and in the end, he just waved at Zexion, promised to be back first thing in the morning, and let Reno drag him out of the door.

"The redheaded fool is a strange person," said Zexion after a moment.

Leon snorted. "You don't know the half of it."

"It's also peculiar that he's sleeping with Demyx."

"I don't even _try_ to understand that relationship."

"I don't imagine I will either."

The brunet smirked. "You and I will get along just fine then." There was a moment of uncertain silence, before Zexion spoke again.

"I… thank you. I know you will probably not be comfortable with a stranger in your house."

The other man shook his head. "It's no big deal. I don't mind having you here until we can find you a permanent residence. You do intend to stay in Radiant Garden, right?"

The slate-haired boy shrugged. "Possibly. I'm unsure of where I should go as of right now."

"Don't stress over it, then," said Leon.

Zexion stared at him with calculating eyes. "You're not at all what the others described you to be."

"Look, I'm not going to kick a guy who has nowhere to go out, and Reno is a bastard so I'm not condemning you to him either." Leon shook back his shaggy hair and mildly frowned at the former Nobody. "You can stay here until you get on your feet, but after that, you're gone."

Zexion smirked at this. "That's the person they described to me – ruthless leader of the pack."

"Damn straight."

---

Zexion awoke to the sun cheerily shining directly in his eyes. He irritably rolled away from it, sighing when his hair blocked it from his field of vision. He heard someone shuffling around nearby. Great, Leon was up. The man must wake up at the crack of dawn every day. Zexion hadn't been here but a few days, and while he usually was an early riser, his host always beat him up.

The slate-haired boy groaned and sat up slowly. He stretched for a moment, feeling all hints of drowsiness flee from him. The bed he was on was more comfortable than he had ever slept on. It was Leon's actually. He had no guest room, and while the bed was plenty big enough the two of them did not share it. With a stern glare that first night, Leon had sent the former Nobody off to his own bed while he took the couch for himself.

Zexion with his newly found heart felt a bit guilty about this, but he was getting stronger with each passing day. Last night he had been the one to make dinner and do the dishes. Soon he wouldn't burden his distantly kind host any longer.

"You're awake?" came Leon's voice from the direction of his closet.

"Yes." He kicked his feet over the side of the bed and got up to stretch.

"Hn. Strange to have an early riser around here," the brunet mused. He came out of the closet holding some clean clothes. "I'm going to grab a shower, then we'll eat breakfast."

Zexion shook his head. "I'll take care of breakfast; you take your time."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "I'm supposed to be the one taking care of you."

The boy snorted. "I have to earn my stay somehow. Now off with you."

His host went without another word.

---

"Zexy!"

"Hello, Demyx." Zexion damn near smiled. It seems like he had become friends with the other former Nobody. Hearts were strange, strange things to possess.

"How ya like living with Leon?" the taller blond asked, grinning brightly at seeing his old companion up and about and actually outside for a short walk.

"He is… an interesting person once you have him figured out."

"Glad to see you two are getting along." Demyx threaded his fingers behind his head. "Sorry I haven't been seeing you too much. Reno's… going through a bit of a tough time right now."

"I image Turks sometimes do."

"Oh, Leon's told you about him?"

"Yes. I was curious, and he was more than willing to give out the information, despite some of it being slightly biased."

Demyx laughed nervously. "Uh, yeah, Leon doesn't like Reno all that much."

"Well, you're the one living with this Reno," said Zexion. "Why don't you tell me about him? I'd also like to hear more about this ShinRa Company."

The Nocturne, with a grin, obliged his friend.

---

Zexion had been in Leon's house for three full weeks now. He was now in permanently in charge of cooking. Leon had said – in a not-so-direct way – that he preferred the former Nobody's cooking to his own. Zexion couldn't really say he blamed him. Most of Leon's meals were rather bland.

They were comfortable companions now, but Zexion could see the toll he was taking on Leon. The scarred man looked tired much too often – Zexion was still in his bed, no matter how many times Zexion offered to switch places with his host. Leon would never hear of it.

So, it was on the evening marking the third full week Zexion had been with Leon that the Schemer decided Leon would no longer be condemned to the couch.

"No," he said rather adamantly when Leon tried to lay down on his couch.

The brunet, dressed only in a pair of loose pajama pants, raised an eyebrow at Zexion.

"You're not sleeping on the couch anymore," said the former Nobody. "You're sleeping in your own bed tonight."

"Look," said Leon, annoyed, "I'm not letting you sleep on the couch. You're still recovering."

"I am fine." Zexion crossed his arms and glared. "At least, I'm looking better than you. You need a good night's rest. You will not find it on that sofa."

"You need more rest than I do!"

"I have healed!"

"You're still delicate!"

Zexion's eyes narrowed. "I," he seethed, "am not delicate."

Leon took a cautionary step backwards when the books on his shelf began to rattle ominously. He knew better than to mess with a Nobody, and he knew he had made a mistake. He was silent a moment. There was only one way to solve this dispute.

---

"Are you comfortable?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"And you?"

"I'm perfectly fine."

"Good."

"You are the one who suggested this arrangement, you know."

"I know."

"Just so you keep that in mind."

"You don't have a problem?"

"Why would I have a problem?"

Leon sighed and pulled the blanket higher up on his shoulder. "Well, we _are_ sharing a bed."

"It's more than big enough," Zexion said with a suppressed yawn.

"Yeah…"

"What? You're not a sleep cuddler, are you?"

"It's been awhile since anyone's been in my bed to tell me."

Zexion smirked, but Leon couldn't see it in the dark.

"We'll see."

---

"Demyx?"

"Huh?"

"May I… talk to you about something?"

"Sure, Zexy!"

---

The sleeping arrangement lasted three months before things finally escalated.

Leon had to keep wondering to himself why he was still allowing the slate-haired Nobody to live in his house. Sure, the food he cooked was great; he kept his house sparkling clean; he was a great help with the more complicated layouts of the restoration…

But living with Zexion meant Demyx was over a lot, and more often than not Reno accompanied him. Leon had never been so sick of seeing the color red in his life.

He was relieved to find that Zexion was content in Radiant Garden. The quiet boy was a welcome newcomer in this world of odds and ends.

So welcome, in fact, that Leon found – to his horror – that he _was _a sleep cuddler. Zexion, though, never seemed to mind too much or get bent out of shape on the mornings he awoke tucked into the brunet's warm embrace.

In fact, now that he was thinking about it, Leon had few other habits and quirks he had never noticed about himself until the former Nobody was unceremoniously dumped into his life. He always ate the middle of his toast out first; he never locked the door when he bathed or showered; he never turned his shirts or socks the right way after taking them off; he always let the phone ring two full times before answering. Zexion made sure to point out each and every one of these strange traits to the scarred brunet, much to the man's dismay.

It was these strange quirks and Zexion's constant need to point them out that Leon still swore to this day were the cause of what happened that one night.

Getting into bed had been usual. Zexion rolled over to his side, and Leon curled up on his.

"Goodnight, then," Zexion yawned.

"Goodnight."

"See you in the morning."

"Yeah…"

"And if you feel the need to hug me, just be sure not to squish my nose like you did last time."

Leon's eyes snapped open from their almost-closed position. He couldn't faintly hear Zexion snickering, and that only made his face flush in a mixture of embarrassment and frustration. He didn't _mean_ to be a sleep cuddler! He never _knew_ he was a sleep cuddler!

"I don't-" he started with absolutely no clue on where he was going with that sentence.

"I didn't say you couldn't hug me, or that I didn't want you to," Zexion chastised, amusement in his voice. "I just said don't squish my nose. It's rather sensitive in more ways than one."

"You… what?"

Zexion laughed, and then Leon felt the former Nobody roll over and gently touch his shoulder.

"We're sharing a bed. What do you expect? Now… are you going to hug me or not?"

---

It took Leon a while to decide whether or not he was happy when Zexion ended up in Radiant Garden, specifically in _his_ bed.

Months later, though, when the boy had taken permanent residence in his home and bed, he decided that he didn't _really_ mind that a Nobody had been in his bed.

-end-

**Sassy:** Thank god. I'm so glad to have this one done, I may cry in relief. Anyway… dunno what's next. Depends on how fast I can churn out chapters of TWH.

Leave a review?


	10. Scar

**Warnings:** None.

**Pairing: **Leon/Seifer

**Sassy's Note:** Hate these two as a couple… but oddly enough, I enjoyed writing this.

**Scar**

"And here I thought you might have been destroyed along with our world," Leon growled, arms folded tightly across his chest. He never imagined he'd be in this situation, and now that he was, he wasn't happy about it at all. It wasn't the fact that his rival was still alive; it was the fact that his rival had chosen to call him out, even after all these years.

Seifer smirked in that way that was still all too familiar. "Thought the same about you, Squall." The blond leaned against the wall of the alley. "So tell me, where have you been?"

"That's none of your concern," Leon snapped, fists clenching tighter.

"No need to get angry. I was just curious." He shrugged. "Not that I even really care."

"Then why did you want to pick a fight when I haven't seen you in years?"

"Wondered if it was really you. Hard to believe you've stayed alive with that attitude of yours." Seifer's face was passive now. Leon knew all too well that that meant he didn't want his expression read. He was hiding something. Leon already knew what, and for a beat they were both silent.

"It would have been better if you had faded away with our world," the sable-haired man muttered.

Seifer's tone carried an intrigued quality. "Better for who, Squall? You or me?"

"Me," Leon whispered, closing his eyes and tilting his face toward the sky. For a brief moment, he let himself remember the past, and in that moment he could feel all his old emotions come flooding back to him.

"Sorry my being alive hurts you so much," Seifer said with a hint of a scowl in his voice. Though Leon couldn't see it, his eyes glazed over – as if he were remember too.

"Why you?" Leon asked, though not really directing his question as the blond man. "Why _you_? Why not Zell or Irvine… or Rinoa?"

Seifer sighed and regarded his rival as if talking to a three-year-old. "Don't you understand? They got off easy. They never had to worry about readjusting to a new life in a new world." His gaze became critical. "I thought you, of all people, would have been able to see that, Squall."

"Then why do you have to be here?"

"Cause this is where fate decided to put me."

"But why?"

"Stop questioning everything. You're getting nowhere."

Leon shook his head. "I don't want to be here anyway. Have your new world, Seifer. I'm going back to mine." The brunet turned away from his former rival, intending to head for his gummi ship. This place was not for him. He'd leave Twilight Town to Sora from now on.

"Wait a sec!" A few heavy footsteps and Seifer had Leon pinned to the alley wall. The brunet snarled and kicked the other man off. He was tempted to draw his gunblade, but Seifer obviously didn't have one. Besides, he wasn't looking for a fight. He just wanted to get out of here.

That's when he noticed Seifer's face. It was not longer trying to hide any emotion. His brows were drawn, and his mouth was slightly open. His eyes stared hard at Leon, as if trying to calculate something. The brunet knew what was coming before the blond had even started to speak.

"You still remember our last few nights together…" he said slowly.

Leon met his questioning gaze, but gave no other indication to the affirmative. It was enough for Seifer, though.

"What? Did it really fuck you up _that_ much?" His tone was harsh, but Leon was past the point of being hurt. His emotional defenses were up again.

He turned from his former rival and lover, determined not to look over his shoulder as he said, "You've left me with more than one scar."

-end-

**Sassy:** Yes, I _know_ that in the Kingdom Hearts Universe Leon's home world is Radiant Garden. I'm _aware_, I promise. But I've been playing VIII, and I just can't see that plot never existing when Squall/Leon is there. So I made the plot exist.

And, no, the prompt was not a setup. My friends didn't understand why I was cackling when this pairing and prompt got assigned.

Leave a review?


	11. Water

**Warnings:** Some light molesting, but it's all good.

**Pairing: **Zack/Roxas

**Sassy's Note:** I've become fond of this pairing because they work _so well_ together – at least, in my mind. Also, love-struck!Roxas is fun to write.

**Water**

Roxas stared open-mouthed at the black-haired violet-eyed _god_ standing in _his_ backyard. What made it even better was that this particular god was dressed in only a pair of swimming trunks. So, Roxas had a half-naked, extremely gorgeous sex-god standing by his pool. The question was why.

His answer came from his older brother, who upon exiting the back door – also just dressed in a pair of swimming trunks – raised an eyebrow at Roxas. Wordlessly, Roxas wildly gestured at the god standing not ten feet away from them. Cloud glanced over then looked back at Roxas with a smirk.

"Roxas, this is my friend Zack," he said. "Hey, Zack. Come here."

The sex-god looked at them before wandering over. Up close, he was _breath-taking_.

"Zack, this is my little brother Roxas," said Cloud seconds before Zack turned his wide smile toward the younger blond, and – _oh Shiva_ – his heart almost stopped.

"Hey," said Zack, and the pure sensuality and sex rolling off his tongue coupled with his already heavenly voice almost made Roxas' heart stop again.

The young blond emitted a soft squeak, turned red, then took a deep breath and tried again. "H-hi…"

"Eloquent," Cloud snorted. Roxas blushed deeper, and Zack, noticing, winked at him. All of the blood in Roxas' body rushed either to his cheeks or somewhere quite a bit lower.

Cloud watched his brother for another second, sniggering at the delicious humor. "Hey, Rox, Sora's coming over too. He'll be here in a bit. You have any plans?"

"Eh… n-no…"

"Good. Go get your shorts on."

Roxas muttered unintelligibly for a few moments, until Cloud smacked him lightly on the back of the head and nudged him toward the house. Numbly and more than a little embarrassed, Roxas entered through the back door and trudged through the house to his room.

Damn Cloud. Damn his brother and all his gorgeous friends – who knew Cloud had any friends anyway? Damn Roxas and his flaming attraction to the male species. Damn Cloud for knowing about Roxas' damn attraction, and damn Cloud for using this knowledge to torment Roxas whenever he had the chance.

And most of all, damn that man out there for being so damn gorgeous.

Roxas sighed as he slipped into his room and went in search of a pair of swim shorts. He could only hope the rest of the day turned out well – as in, he didn't thoroughly manage to embarrass himself.

* * *

"Roxas!" someone singsonged out from the hall. Said blond rolled his eyes, for not two seconds later, his cousin came barreling in the room.

"Dude, Roxas! Have you _seen_ that guy outside? He is _hot_!"

"Yeah, I've seen him, Sora."

The brunet tilted his head to the side and blinked at his cousin. "Well don't sound so excited. You've only got the sexiest guy _ever_ in your swimming pool!"

Roxas scowled. "I know, Sora."

"So why aren't you out there?" Sora demanded incredulously.

"Because," the blond started with absolutely no idea how he was going to finish that sentence. "Because… just because."

"Yeah, that's a good reason." Sora rolled his eyes. "Come on. I'll go out with you if you're shy."

"I am not shy!"

"Then go out there."

"… No."

"Dude, Zack won't bite. He's friends with _Cloud_. I betcha anything he's mellow as a mouse."

Oh yeah. Because Zack acted _so_ mellow out there earlier. Who uses the word _mellow_ anyway?

"You forget who Cloud's dating," Roxas said with a scowl. "If anything, he attracts polar opposites."

"That is totally beside the point." Sora sighed sadly and crossed his arms. "I dunno why you're hiding in here, since you're _not shy_. Zack's hot, isn't he?"

"Yeah…"

"And he's friends with your brother, right?"

"Uh huh…"

Sora grinned widely. "You have the perfect little set up going for you!"

Roxas rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'll go out there, but don't you dare do anything to embarrass me!"

The brunet batted his eyelashes at his cousin. "Oh, Roxy, why should I do such a thing?"

Despite his words, Roxas didn't like the look on Sora's face.

* * *

"About time," Cloud said over his shoulder when Sora and Roxas finally came out of the house. The older blond was waist deep in the swimming pool, wading around calmly. Roxas didn't see Zack at first, but as he approached the pool deck, the tell-tale black blur moving gracefully under the water passed Cloud, and the Zack came up, drawing in a deep breath and shaking water out of his eyes. Roxas bit his lip. The shimmering drops of water clinging to his body were – oh god. Stop those thoughts right there.

Sora grinned widely and waved. "Hi, Zack! I'm Sora!"

The older teen chuckled. "Nice to meet you, Sora. You're Spike's little cousin?"

"Yep!"

"I can see the resemblance." Zack then turned his grin to Roxas, who rubbed at the back of his neck and felt his face flush. "Well, aren't you two coming in?"

"I am!" Sora chirped happily and immediately ran to the side and jumped in, splashing both Cloud and Zack. Roxas managed to dodge the wave of water. Zack laughed and Cloud chuckled softly as the brunet surfaced with a contented look on his face. Roxas couldn't help but be a bit jealous of his extroverted nature, especially in the face of an attractive potential.

Cloud fixed Roxas with a heavy glare. "Well, come on," he said impatiently. Roxas hesitated for a moment, only taking a single step forward toward the pool. Cloud snorted, and it seemed he wasn't the only one who wasn't having that, for Zack sprang forward, reached out and grabbed Roxas' hand. The blond teen had barely a second to squeak before he was forcefully pulled into the water.

He thrashed around underwater for a moment and spluttered when he was pulled up, water in his eyes and nose and ears all at the same time. He forgot the discomfort of feeling waterlogged, however, when instead he felt himself pulled against a muscled torso.

"I gotcha," said Zack gently, grinning down at the blond. His firm hands moved down Roxas' arms and tugged him forward into deeper water. Roxas, too stunned to do more than stare into his smiling face, didn't resist.

He did hear Sora, though, make a noise in the back of his throat and mutter, "I am _so_ jealous…" to which Cloud responded with a snort and "You _have_ a boyfriend."

Zack either didn't hear or was ignoring them. He pulled Roxas to the other side of the pool where neither of them could stand on the bottom. Roxas managed to regain control of himself and stay afloat. The raven-haired teen winked at Roxas before diving under the water. Roxas watched him carefully, but Zack did nothing except calmly swim around.

After almost a full minute – it seemed Zack could hold his breath for awhile – the blond swam over to the side, where he sat on the small built-in ledge, letting himself relax in the cool water. Well, relax as much as he could, given the circumstances. He blushed, and he knew he did, but Zack couldn't see it, so that was okay. Sora laughed from the other side of the pool though, so Roxas weakly flicked some water at him.

Zack surfaced somewhere beside Cloud and leaned over to whisper something in his friend's ear, which Cloud nodded at, and Zack sank back underwater and made a beeline for Roxas. Well, a fishline, or something… bees don't swim. Anyway, when he once again broke the top of the water, he sat next to Roxas casually, leaning his back against the pool side. The boy didn't react – not visibly, anyway. His heart beat a tad faster in his chest, but he ignored it and just enjoyed relaxing in the cool water.

The four of them were peaceful for a time. Sora and Cloud pulled out the goggles and diving rings and had a friendly competition on who could gather the most without coming up for air. Cloud won that one, but Sora won the time trial – ten rings in twenty four point three seconds. Roxas watched the antics with half-lidded, lazy eyes. Zack chuckled every now and again, but the black-haired older teen didn't move from his spot beside Roxas. In fact, he made himself quite comfortable, pressing his bare leg against the blond's whenever Sora and Cloud weren't looking.

Roxas found himself embarrassed over all, but he had every right to be. A drop-dead gorgeous sex god was making it a point to be close to him – touch him, even – but Roxas also felt himself burn with a kind of pleasure when Zack turned that wide smile to him or caught his blue-eyed gaze with his own violet. He knew that the older teen was probably just humoring him – flirting because of his obvious attraction to him. The thought didn't settle well with Roxas, but then Zack smiled at him again, and his train of thought derailed again.

"Hey guys!" Sora said excitedly, bouncing in the water. "Let's play chicken!"

"Chicken?" Zack asked, intrigued. "That game where someone gets on your shoulders and catfights with someone else on someone else's shoulders?"

"Yeah!"

Zack glanced slyly at Roxas out of the corner of his eye. "Cool. I'm in."

Sora's grin stretched from ear to ear. "Yes! Cloud's my partner!" He seized his cousin's arm. "Rox, get on Zack's shoulders!"

Roxas flushed – again – and glared at Sora, who was scrambling up Cloud's back without so much as even waiting for the blond to kneel. Zack chuckled and turned to Roxas.

"Come on," he said with a soft, almost affectionate grin, falling to his knees in the water and beckoning Roxas to him. Said teen, miffed at the twin smirks on his cousin and brother's faces, waded over to Zack and carefully climbed onto his shoulders. Zack gripped Roxas' calves and stood up smoothly, easily supporting the younger boy's weight. Wobbling a bit, he placed his hands on Zack's soft black locks, which still spiked despite how wet he was. Hmm. Seemed everyone currently in the pool had that problem.

"I got my partner," Zack called to the other two. "You guys ready?"

"I would be, but Sora's an idiot," Cloud said, glaring at the brunet who was clinging to his back like a howler monkey.

"I can totally do this!" he said stubbornly, pulling on Cloud's shoulders.

Roxas rolled his eyes, digging his fingers a bit deeper into Zack's hair and rubbing his scalp without really noticing he was doing it – until Zack tilted his head back and grinned seductively up at him. Roxas snatched his hands away quickly. Zack just chuckled and squeezed the blond's legs gently. The boy shivered.

"Okay, we're ready!" Sora called, now happily perched on Cloud's shoulders. The older blond was scowling and sporting quite a few red marks on his shoulders and back. Sora's face formed into a competitive leer. "C'mon, Roxy! Bring it!"

"Don't call me that," Roxas growled.

Zack and Cloud slowly walked toward each other, the latter looking more amused than anything, gaze fixed upon his younger brother. Zack twirled on the spot a few times, making Sora laugh at the odd sight. Roxas growled again.

"M'kay," Zack said cheerfully. "Ready?" Cloud, Sora, and Roxas all nodded. "Okay. Fight!"

Sora lunged forward and shoved at Roxas' shoulder. Zack managed a quick sidestep, and the blond seized his cousin's hands in his, and it became a test of power between them. Sora's smug expression faltered when Roxas began to overpower him. The young blond put all of his weight and strength into it, and Cloud stumbled backward a bit when Sora bent back.

Oh yeah. They would win this round then Roxas could rub it in his stupid cousin's face. They probably would have won, too, had not Roxas suddenly felt a comforting squeeze on his calves. He tried to ignore the first one, keeping his mind on knocking Sora off Cloud's shoulders, but when the squeeze turned into a firm massage, he found himself unable to focus on anything but that.

"Ha!" Sora cried in triumph, lurching forward, tilting Roxas back. Zack yelped as he lost his footing and the two of them crashed into the water. For the second time in less than an hour, water assaulted Roxas' senses, but also for the second time in less than an hour, he forgot his discomfort when a strong pair of arms pulled him to a larger warm body. Zack didn't pull them up however, and just as soon as Roxas was about to push himself up, he felt a warm pair of lips attach themselves to his.

His first thought was that being kissed – quite thoroughly, he might add – under the water felt pretty damn strange. His next thought was rather incoherent as he realized it was Zack who was kissing him. His next was that they had surfaced, and Sora was cheering while Cloud was chuckling. His next was that Zack really shouldn't put his hand _there_ while his older brother was watching, but caught up in the feel of kissing this sex god, he found himself unable to care too much.

Looking back from a few years down the road, he could see just how much Zack loved the water, and it was no surprise to him when he lost his virginity in the same pool he had first kissed Zack in. Hmm, maybe they _should_ put a pool in their backyard…

-end-

**Sassy:** Good LORD, that one ran away with me. Can you tell? I had more plans for the ending, but it's long enough as it is…

Leave a review?


	12. Snow

**Warnings:** Retardedness in the form of I-can't-write-anything-but-crap.

**Pairing: **Hayner/Yuna

**Sassy's Note:** I was so lost for ideas for this one…

**Snow**

"It hardly ever snows like this in Twilight Town."

"I don't know if I could enjoy winter as much without snow."

The sweet girl with soft brown hair and a gentle smile tilted her head back to the sky. She caught a few flakes on her tongue. Hayner watched her, entranced by her every move. If he had ever doubted before that there were multiple worlds out there, he surely believed it now. No one from _his_ world could ever move like that, look like that, just _be_ like that.

"Where are you from?" he asked her, feeling the sudden need to know.

She smiled at him, differently colored eyes warming. "Spira. It's a lovely place now that we have our eternal Calm."

"Calm?" he asked, noticing the way her smile fell just a little bit.

"Yes. Spira has been through so much. The people finally deserve their time of rest."

They were silent for a few moments, the snow drifting down around them and gathering on the ground. There would soon be a blanket of white across the town.

"What made you leave Spira?" Hayner asked quietly.

The girl smiled again. "With Spira safe, I can move on to help new worlds in need of their own Calm. It's… what I'm meant to do with my life, how I can make my own story."

"Story, huh?" he asked with a grin. She giggled and nodded and spun in a circle, a small flurry of snow at her feet. "How many worlds have you been to?"

"A few," she said, staring skyward again. "Radiant Garden and Destiny Islands… now here. All peaceful worlds."

"Are you going to look for one that needs your help?"

"Yes."

Hayner let further questions die in his throat at the look on her face. It was one of determination, aimed at the sky as if it personally had caused the strain in the worlds.

"What brought you here?" he asked instead.

She looked over at him. "I'm not sure," she said, voice light. "It just seemed like such a lovely place that I had to stop and see." She held up her hand and caught a few snowflakes. "And I was rewarded with snow."

"Which is not very common here," said Hayner with a grin. She laughed again.

"Strangers to a world always bring something with them." Her face softened. "I have to go now."

"A-already?" he asked, mood falling instantly. He'd only just met her.

"Yes. I have to go to Destiny Islands."

Biting back his dejection at seeing this girl leave, he asked, "Destiny Islands is safe, isn't it?"

"Yes, but there's someone there I want to see." Her cheeks colored a bit. "I miss him."

Hayner's breath caught in his chest. _Oh…_ "That's… well, goodbye then. It was nice to meet you…"

She smiled brightly at him. "I'll be back sometime."

He nodded, biting his lip. She continued smiling at him, and a moment later, a strange white light enveloped her, and when it disappeared, she was gone. Hayner exhaled his breath, wondering why he was so sad that the girl – he didn't even know her name – left.

"Dude's a lucky guy," he muttered to himself.

"That's sweet," said a soft voice by his ear, and he jumped, head swiveling. Floating in the air beside his head was a fairy… wait, no, it was that same girl… what?

"Uh…" he said intelligently, staring at her.

"I'll be back. Soon," she promised and swooped in to pressed a kiss to his cheek. It was a strange feeling – being kissed by a sprite – but not a bad one. He felt himself blush.

When he blinked, the sprite was gone, but he felt lighter. Maybe not so jealous of that guy in Destiny Islands.

Maybe he'd ask her name next time he saw her.

-end-

**Sassy:** I apologize for that. You may all blame… no one but me. No other ideas and I really wanna get to this other one, but – MEH! – I have to write my butt off on TWH to post that one.

Anyway, leave a review.


	13. Lightning

**Warnings:** None.

**Pairing: **Luxord/Tifa

**Sassy's Note:** La? Yeah, I know this isn't the greatest idea and Snow was a lot like it, but this one kinda fit more with the pairing. Snow was just crap.

**Lightning**

With a streak of lightning across the sky, a stranger strolled into her bar. He was a handsome man, a blue-eyed blond with a well-trimmed beard and piercings in both ears. He was dressed in neatly-pressed clothes that complimented him very well.

He strolled over to the bar and slid onto a stool gracefully, turning his blue eyes on Tifa. They were… gentle.

"What can I get you?" she asked, smiling at him.

When he spoke, his voice was a low rumbling accent that she found most melodious to her ears. She served him his drink with her kind smile still in place, and he returned it, his gentle eyes warming.

Tifa kept an eye on him for the rest of the night. The storm brought in more customers than it scared off this particular night. The stranger was genial to everyone, and within an hour of being there, he had initiated a massive poker game. She watched in gentle amusement as he won game after game. He was good.

Reno sulked at the bar for a good while after losing a fair amount of munny to the stranger. "Something's different about that guy, yo," said the redhead before gulping down his drink. "Different vibes, or something."

Tifa pondered over Reno's statement. She decided that – for once – the Turk was right. The handsome stranger _did_ have a different feel about him – thought it wasn't an overall bad feel, just unusual.

The storm outside clamed after a while, and eventually the stranger rose from his seat, tripped his head graciously at Tifa and left the bar.

He came back, though. Weeks later when the sky was again gloomy and the lightning flashed again, he rolled in through the door as cool as he had been the first time, as neat and well dressed as before. His gentle eyes caught the barmaid, warming, and he slid onto the stool in front of her.

"Nice to have you back," she said with a smile. "What can I get you?"

His voice was still soothing to the ear, rumbling along with the thunder and lightning outside. Once more around the stranger a poker game broke out, and again the stranger dominated the game until the lightning stopped flashing and the man took his leave.

It didn't take Tifa long to realize that the stranger had a ritual about him. He always came when a storm blew up. Why? Tifa ventured a guess that he used the storm to cover his tracks. He was obviously not a native of Radiant Garden. A thunderstorm would be the perfect guise to escape under.

He never lost a game of chance. Tifa knew certain beings across the worlds possessed certain powers. She was sure her handsome stranger did. She wondered to herself if this was counted as cheating – then she decided it was good for Reno to lose and said nothing about it.

The vibes he gave off never faded, and Tifa became sure this man was as ethereal as he felt. His voice carried; his eyes melted every woman in the vicinity; his very presence demanded attention, and the bar inhabitants were all to eager to give it to him.

A year passed since the first strike of lightning brought the stranger to Tifa's bar, and she now knew why she was so drawn to him.

He _was_ her lightning: the exciting burst of change in the redundant, dangerous storm of her life. At first he was unexpected, then became an eager, sporadic addition to her routine. Yes, he was the lightning itself.

And because that's what he was, she knew to keep her distance.

He was leaving. The storm had dissipated, and it was time for him to go. Tifa nodded at him as he slid a tip across the bar.

"Sir?" she asked before he could turn his back to her. His gentle gaze caught hers. "What is your name?"

The man grinned kindly, and with his passionate accent of a voice, he responded, "Luxord."

Ah, so _that's_ why he seemed so ethereal. He _was_.

And now she could give the lightning a name.

-end-

**Sassy:** I just dislike the ending. Didn't wanna come out like I wanted it to. Anyway, I love Luxy, so that's why he comes off as mysterious-lover-man in this one. I love his voice, too, but that should be no surprise.

Leave a review?


	14. Hair

**Warnings:** Use of Herbal Essences. XD

**Pairing: **Xemnas/Marluxia

**Sassy's Note:** Maybe these will stop sucking so bad, yeah? I've got Jedi helping me.

**Hair**

"Superior? Might I have a word with you?"

The sultry purr of a voice drifted easily through the empty halls of the castle. Xemnas paused and turned to his Number XI, silver eyebrow arching curiously.

"Yes?"

Marluxia's lips quirked. "I must say, Superior, that next to me, you have the loveliest hair of the Organization arrangement."

"Thank you," said Xemnas, wondering where in the non-world the other Nobody was going with this.

"Indeed it is." The other steadily approached his Superior. "As such, I would like to ask you a favor."

"Favor…?"

"Yes sir." A delicate gloved hand combed its way through Xemnas' silver tresses slowly. Odd… he got the feeling he was being seduced. Then again, this was Marluxia.

So he probably _was_ being seduced.

"What is it?" he asked, shuffling away as discretely as he could.

"I've been… experimenting," Marluxia purred, eyes half-closing as his head tilted slightly to the side. "It is amazing the things one can do with plant oils."

Kingdom Hearts. Xemnas had to get out of here now.

"That's very interesting, Number XI, but I really must be going now. I –"

Marluxia shushed him, placing his fingers against the other Nobody's lips. "Come now, dear Superior. This will not take long."

"I apologize, Marluxia, but I'm really not interested."

A rose-colored eyebrow rose. "You have not even heard my request. All I wish is for you to test my latest creation."

Xemnas relaxed, though not by much. "Fine. What is it?"

Marluxia's grin stretched to epic proportions, revealing rows of pearly white teeth. "I would like for you, my dear Xemnas, to test out something I have dubbed Herbal Essences."

"Herbal Essences?

"Yes sir."

"Fine. What do you wish me to do?"

---

_"__Ahhh__…"_

_"How do you like that, Superior?"_

_"__Ohh__, yes…"_

Demyx stopped dead when he heard this, half eaten stick of pocky raised to his lips. He glanced around in bewilderment.

_"Would you say I've done – or am doing__ -__ my job well?"_

_"__Ahh__… __ahh__… yes…"_

Number XI's eyes widened, recognizing the voices to belong to none other than Marluxia and Xemnas, and they were coming from the community showers. With a squeak of realization, the Nocturne turned on his heel and fled down the long corridor back the way he came.

---

"That, Marluxia, was the best shower I have ever taken."

Number XI grinned, eyeing Xemnas as the man stepped out of the shower, towel wrapped about his hips. Steam billowed out from behind him.

"Glad you approve, Superior. So, in future, would you be willing to give your input toward my creations."

"Of course," said Xemnas, nodding at the other Nobody. He turned then and walked back to retrieve his clothes.

Marluxia just grinned wickedly.

-end-

**Sassy:** All credit for that goes to Jedi, unless it sucks, then that's my fault. Why is it always Demyx who gets traumatized?

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	15. Explosion

**Warnings:** None.

**Pairing: **Axel/Demyx

**Sassy's Note:** I totally did not set this one up!! … Okay, maybe I did…

**Explosion**

Cloud stared at the two students standing before his desk. They fidgeted slightly under his scrutiny.

"You both have detention for the next week," he finally said with a strained sigh.

"Yes, Mr. Strife," they said at the same time.

"You will serve them _separately_."

"Yes, Mr. Strife."

"And you will also be supervised."

"Yes, Mr. Strife."

"Good." He rubbed his forehead. "Now get out of here."

He fought a smile as the two of them stumbled out of his classroom. "Wait until Squall hears about this…"

--

As soon as the two were safely out of Strife's room and down the hall, they burst out into hysterical laughter.

"That was the best thing we've ever done!"

"Vexen _hates_ us now!"

"That's why it's even better!"

They fell about, howling with laughter.

--

"_Now that you've been separated into groups," said Mr. Strife, "you may start."_

_Axel grinned at Demyx, who nudged Vexen. Vexen swatted at the other young blond, a slight smile on his face. Resident brainiac of Oblivion High and close personal friend of several professors, Vexen was probably the only person in the class who knew and understood exactly what he was doing. It paid to have smart friends._

"_So, Vexy," Demyx began with a bright smile, "Uhm… what are we doing?"_

_With a patient sigh, Vexen explained. They procured goggles and gloves and aprons from the cabinet and listened as Vexen told them what they were looking for in the chemical reactions._

"_Okay, so pour this in here and wait for it to turn green. Got it!" Demyx snapped his gloves on._

"_Yes, simply put, that's what we're doing."_

"_Turning clear liquid to green then to blue? Cool. We can do that." Axel poked at a vial marked 'nitric acid'. Vexen swatted at him._

"_Don't touch that unless you like having your skin melted away."_

"_I do that all the time with fire. Does that count?"_

"_No. Now put your goggles on."_

"_They'll mess my hair up."_

"_I don't care. Put them on."_

_With a grumble, Axel put his goggles on. "I'm sure I look great now…"_

"_Sexay," Demyx purred, sticking his tongue out playfully at the redhead. Axel waggled his eyebrows under the goggles._

"_Okay, that's enough," said Vexen with a slight blush. It wasn't as if he _minded_, but the lab was no place for… that._

"_Hey, can I start now?" Demyx asked excitedly._

"_Be careful," Vexen warned. "I don't want my perfect grade marred by any foolish mistakes."_

"_Oh, Vexy, relax!"_

"_I'll relax when you put the chemicals down."_

"_I'm a pro at this." The blond carefully lifted the vial with gloved fingers and started to pour the contents into the larger beaker._

"_Only half," Vexen warned._

"_I got this," said Demyx stubbornly._

"_I'm sure. Do be careful anyway." Vexen stepped away. "I'll be right back. I must speak with Dr. Strife. Follow the directions _carefully_!"_

"_Yes sir, Señor Vexy," said Axel, fussing with his hair and goggles. Vexen narrowed his eyes at the redhead as he turned away. Axel immediately pulled his goggles off._

"_So… Dem… do you really know what we're trying to accomplish here?"_

"_Yup."_

"_Oh really?"_

"_Yup."_

"_Good," the redhead purred, leaning into the blond. Demyx's hand jerked when hot lips pressed to his neck._

"_Axel!" he hissed, voice tapering off in a whine. "We're in class. Behave."_

"_Don't want to," the redhead muttered stubbornly. His arms wound themselves around Demyx's hips, squeezing briefly before sliding forward slowly. The blond froze, a squeak of protest dying in the back of his throat as his face burned. His hand shook ominously, poised over the beaker with the vial between his fingers._

"_Stop it!" he whispered furiously, hoping no one was watching their little display._

"_Nuh uh."_

"_Axel!"_

"_Heh. Scream my name, bitch."_

"_N-not that I don't lo-love you, but… we're in… AXEL!!"_

_Demyx's shout was met with an ear-splitting explosion that left the lab filled with copious amounts of black smoke._

_Vexen, who had been oh-so-kindly conversing with Dr. Strife, nearly fainted when he saw the smoke billowing from _his_ lab table._

_But in all actuality, Strife had to fight not to laugh when he saw the two boys responsible for the explosion, froze in a compromising position, black smeared and caked all over them._

-end-

**Sassy:** Ja? The thought of Cloud having a doctorate in Chemistry makes me giggle…


	16. Blood

**Warnings:** Spoilers and foreshadowing, ftw!

**Pairing: **Cloud/Reno

**Sassy's Note:** I was ecstatic when these two were paired, and the prompt fit great. For any of you who follow my other stories – The World's Heart, hint hint – this is a sign that, yes, I _will_ be continuing that one. Like, really soon. So here's a gift for you all.

**Blood**

"You're bleeding, Strife."

Cloud glanced down at his injured arm and made an unconcerned noise. "It's nothing.

Reno rolled his eyes. "Idiot. Come here."

"I'm fine," the blond snapped, jerking away from Reno when the Turk tried to touch him.

Reno froze, save for narrowing his eyes. Cloud turned away from him, and they stood there in stony silence. The redhead took the moment to examine Cloud. He was tense, muscles coiled tighter than a spring. What little of Cloud's face that Reno could see was strained, and it was obvious that the blond had not shaved in a few days. It was while he was taking in all his features that Reno realized he had never seen the blond truly relaxed.

The winds rolling across the Great Maw's canyons ruffled the blond spikes glowing golden from the setting sun, and despite the obvious rigidity of his stance, Cloud was still breathtaking. With an obvious effort – for he was perfectly content to stand and stare – Reno made forward toward Cloud.

"Hey," he said softly.

"What?" Cloud's voice was cold.

"I… I'm sorry, okay?" The blond snorted. "I was upset and surprised."

"You were upset, huh?"

Reno growled at Cloud's back, for the younger man hadn't even bothered to turn around and face him. "Yes, Strife, _upset_. This whole fucking mess upset me too."

"What could you be upset about?" Cloud mused allowed, sounding sarcastic.

"Oh, for Shiva's sake… _I'm_ upset because _you're_ upset, dumbass."

Cloud visibly deflated at that, and Reno sighed. He brushed up behind the blond.

"Can I see your arm?"

Cloud grunted, which Reno took to be consent. He carefully took hold of the blond's forearm and brought it closer to his face. Cloud just watched Reno with wary mako eyes. A droplet of blood slid down his arm, pooled at his elbow for a moment, and then dripped down to the ground below.

"Do you trust me, Strife?"

"I'm not even sure I _like_ you…"

"But do you trust me?"

Cloud's eyes met Reno's.

"… Yes."

They both watched another bead of blood fall to the ground. It was morbidly fascinating.

"So… you don't like me, and you don't love me," said Reno, fingers ghosting over the uninjured flesh of the blond man's arm. "How do you feel about me?"

Another drop of blood slid down Cloud's arm, but it clung tight to his elbow. The blond stared at his own blood hard, willing it to fall. When it didn't, he whispered, "I don't know."

"Come on, Strife. We won't get anywhere that way, yo." Reno's lips quirked into something resembling a smile, but he was visibly nervous.

"I… really don't know, Reno." His eyes never left the quivered drop of blood on his elbow.

"Okay then… in that case, what do you want?" The redhead brushed his thumb over the blond's arm again.

"I want," Cloud started, eyes narrowing. There was no reason not to be truthful with Reno, he decided. "I want to be happy."

The drop of blood fell, and Reno smiled for real. "You think I can make you happy, Strife?"

Cloud's eyes met Reno's, and two more drops of blood fell from his arm. "You make me smile. Leon never…"

Reno glanced at the growing puddle of blood on the ground when it splashed again. "Nice to know, even though usually it's at my expense. Not that I mind, yo. You need a bit of laughter in your life. I don't mind making you laugh."

"You do it on purpose?" Cloud muttered in question, looking at the ground.

"Eh, sometimes, but apparently I'm a naturally hilarious guy."

Cloud was left a bit speechless. The knowledge that there was someone willing to make him smile at any extent – that someone cared about him that much – was not a feeling he was used to. Not since… Zack…

Reno's eyes followed the next few drops of blood as he waited for Cloud to say something. Finally, he did.

"I don't love you," said the blond slowly, watching his arm as well. "But I don't hate you. Maybe I don't even like you, but… I want you."

Reno grinned brighter than Cloud had ever seen, and that was saying something. "Good to know."

"You're not a rebound," said Cloud, voice firm. "You're just…"

"Save the romantic stuff for later, yo." Reno pulled Cloud's bleeding arm up higher. "We've got plenty of time now." He muttered a quick cure spell, and the Cloud watched as his arm mended beneath the blood. In seconds, he had healed.

"Plenty of time?" Cloud asked, flexing his hand, pleased when his arm did not start aching. A bit of blood was still smeared where the wound had been, though.

"Yeah, if you'll put up with me that long." Reno shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. "With everything's that going on…"

Cloud thought about Sora and the trip to Destiny Islands, then about Riku and how much the teen had gone through and done for him. He stared at Reno for a moment, then mounted Fenrir and turned the ignition. The engine purred to life. The blond turned to the Turk.

"Come on," he said, pulling his goggles on. With a smirk, Reno slid on Fenrir just behind Cloud.

"Where we goin'?" He wrapped his arms around Cloud's waist and settled his chin on his shoulder.

"You'll see."

Reno hid his smile in the base of the blond's neck.

"Guess we will… Cloud," he muttered as the bike accelerated and carried them off across the Great Maw, leaving the small puddle of Cloud's blood to fade away without them.

-end-

**Sassy:** Sooo… who really understood that? If you didn't, browse through my stories a bit harder. Also, symbolism, foreshadowing, and irony all in ONE little interlude? SWEET!! College-level English is an amazing thing.

Oh, and the first one to catch all the aforementioned symbolism, foreshadowing, and irony gets… something special.

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